Stress-related aftermaths to workplace politics: the relationships among politics, job distress, and aggressive behavior in organizations

In light of the growing theoretical and practical interest on organizational politics, especially its probable impact on work outcomes, two stress-related aftermaths of influence and politics in organizations were examined. On the basis of a model by Ferris, Russ, and Fandt (1989b) the idea was pursued that workplace politics may have a long-range impact on employees' job distress and aggressive behavior in and around organizations. Three samples (n1 = 155, n2 = 184, n3 = 201) were used to examine direct and indirect/mediating relationships among the research variables. Participants were Israeli employees from the private, public, and third sectors. Findings showed that: (1) job distress was an immediate response to organizational politics across the three types of organization, and (2) job distress proved a possible mediator between organizational politics and aggressive behavior as enacted by the employees themselves. Several theoretical and practical implications of the findings that may extend our knowledge on various stress-related aftermaths of organizational politics are noted. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.